Stenholm to address Wheat Conference Aug. 5

Charlie Stenholm, former congressman for Texas’ 17th District, is scheduled to be the keynote luncheon speaker for this year’s Big Country Wheat Conference set for Aug. 5 in Abilene.

The biennial conference, conducted by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, starts with registration at 7 a.m. in the Big Country Hall, located on the grounds of the Taylor County Expo Center.

“Former Congressman Stenholm is a plain-spoken Democrat and a staunch production agriculture supporter,” said Robert Pritz, AgriLife Extension agent in Taylor County. “He is very well known in our area having served the 17th District of Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives for many years.”

Stenholm is currently a senior policy advisor for Olsson Frank Weeda, a Washington-based law firm.

“He’ll be speaking on policy as it relates to agriculture in the Big Country,” said Pritz.

“Dr. Allan Fritz, Wheat Breeder from Kansas State University, is another noted speaker we have scheduled,” Pritz said. “During the morning, he’ll be speaking on breeding wheat for quality and the role of biotechnology, and during the afternoon program he’ll speak on private and public wheat breeding collaborations.”

Pritz said the program is the largest educational event of its kind in Texas and regularly draws speakers and participants from Texas and Oklahoma.

The conference is set just prior to planting so growers have time to apply what they’ve learned to this year’s crop.